Area Students Are Getting Ready For Kindergarten

Before my oldest started kindergarten, we went to the school for a brief tour. I remember the principal looked seriously at each of the boys and girls and said, "Now, I see a lot of nervous faces here, and I want you to know, your parents are going to be just fine."

It might have been an old joke, but it definitely hit home with me. While my son couldn't wait to use his new lunch box and try out the big swings, I was anxious about whether we'd done enough to prepare him. Would the teacher think he should know more letter sounds? Would he be able to make all new friends? As it turned out, he did just fine. Of course, that didn't mean I wasn't just as nervous when it came time for son number two to make the big leap.

Laurie Sjolund is the Early Learning Coordinator for the Sumner School District. She says that such concerns are common, but she encourages parents to think of getting ready for kindergarten as a process rather than a moment. She also wants area parents to know that there are resources available to help.

One of the programs available to parents and caregivers in several area districts is called . This program was originally developed in Kennewick and is now administered by the National Children's Reading Foundation. Participants go home with free toys and educational materials to help their children develop important skills in as little as five minutes a day. The program also lists suggested learning targets for ages 1-5. Children who enter school with these skills will quickly blossom.

Parents who aren't able to get in on a Ready! for Kindergarten event, will still find lots of valuable information on the Sumner district's website, including a Parent's Guide to Starting School.While parents often focus on academic skills, Sjolund encourages them to remember that social behaviors are just as important, and sometimes more so.  She says that children who can pay attention to the teacher, control their behaviors, and communicate their needs, will thrive in kindergarten.

When parents do work on academic skills,  Sjolund says they need not resort to flashcards and workbooks. Basic literacy and math skills can be taught with activities that are fun and engaging. Sjolund encourages parents to read to their children daily, and to do plenty of what she calls, "Playing with intention." For example, a parent playing blocks with her child might ask, "What would happen if we added one more?" Simple questions like this are helping the child learn math concepts and vocabulary.

Ann Cook, the Sumner District's Communications Director, says that the district is working hard to communicate information about early learning to area child care providers and preschools through their Linkages program. The idea is that everyone who works with young children gets on the same page about the skills they need.  Parents and other adults in the community are also invited to volunteer their time with the district's youngest students.

Registration for incoming kindergarteners has already begun in Sumner. Most other area districts start at the beginning of next month. Parents wondering about registration dates and requirements or parenting classes should contact their district office or neighborhood school.